PODCAST · society
The Conversation
by BBC World Service
Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.
Episodes
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Women making sport greener
From the pitches we build to the stadiums we fill, the world of sport can have a huge impact on the environment. The biggest sporting events in the world bring joy to millions of people, but that comes at a cost. As the climate crisis intensifies, can the sporting world become part of the…
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The healing power of wild landscapes
Plunging into a remote mountain lake, camel-trekking for miles through empty desert… Natural landscapes have an incredible ability to change the way we think and behave. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from Wales and the Netherlands who spend their time in some of the world's most untouched...
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Crime scene and trauma cleaners
Cleaning up after a death or violent incident is often far too traumatic and potentially dangerous for family members or for regular cleaning services to undertake. Instead, it’s a task carried out by a small but specialised group of individuals – often women. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two female...
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Women getting to the root of mushrooms
Around the world, mycelium – the root part of fungi – is being used practically as a biological material due to its distinctive properties. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women hoping to reduce the environmental impact of plastic packaging and the meat industry by creating mushroom-based...
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Cricket’s top women umpires
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from India and the UK who officiate international and domestic matches for the women’s and men’s games. They’re both on the ICC’s development panel for umpires. Vrinda Rathi is an Indian cricket umpire. She was one of the first female umpires to stand as an...
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Women bringing science to social media
While the proportion of girls studying science subjects beyond high school is going up, physics, maths and engineering are still dominated by men. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from Sweden and the UK who are using social media platforms to try and encourage greater equality in STEM subjects....
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What is a joyful life?
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women from Sweden and the United States about what they've learned about treasuring moments of joy. Kate Bowler is an historian, podcaster and author. She wrote Joyful Anyway after a stage IV bowel cancer diagnosis. Kate says joy isn't something that can be sold...
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Fertility in your 40s
Why does it become much harder for older women to become pregnant? And how does fertility treatment differ from one country to the next? Ella Al-Shamahi finds out what women need to understand about their bodies. Ella speaks to Sarah Allison who underwent fertility treatment in India, Spain and...
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The manosphere and its impact on women
Datshiane Navanayagam discusses the impact of toxic masculinity in South Africa and South Korea. The United Nations has raised concern about online communities promoting misogynistic and anti-feminist views saying they’re a serious threat to gender equality. Kutlwano Mokgwathi is a doctoral...
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Women saving seeds for the future
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women from Uganda and the UK working at seed banks to secure the future of the world's plant life. Gloria Otieno is a scientist and genetic policy specialist with Alliance Biodiversity CIAT working to create and support seed banks in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania....
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Women helping earthquake survivors
When devastation strikes around the world there are groups of experienced, dedicated teams that will fly in to support local people in saving lives. Others support people in the long, slow task of dealing with the aftermath and impact on health, homes and livelihoods. Datshiane Navanayagam talks…
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Kickstarting girls' careers in construction
The trades and construction sectors are crying out for new talent, yet many school leavers have no idea that this industry could offer a meaningful and lucrative career path. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women on a mission to get more young people, especially girls interested in jobs like...
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Are women the stronger sex?
The weaker sex? The fairer sex? The female body has often been viewed as less strong and less powerful than that of men. Datshiane Navanayagam meets two female scientists who are challenging that assumption. They reveal the ways in which women’s bodies actually come out on top. Starre Vartan is…
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Giving stature to women
Statues in parks and city centres are meant to celebrate history and inspire for the future. But it's thought that in nearly every country in the world, women only make up 2-3% of the public statues. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to sculptors from the US and Nigeria who are working to redress the...
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Female film-makers join forces
The film industry is massively dominated by men. But women-only film festivals are shaking things up, celebrating the female directors, producers, cinematographers and editors behind the camera. Datshiane Navanayagam meets two women who run female film festivals. Bina Paul in India is the…
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Women and the stigma of Tourette’s
Tourette syndrome is a motor disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. Characterized by movement tics and at least one vocal tic, it's often portrayed as unrestrained swearing. However, coprolalia only affects ten percent of people with Tourette’s. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women…
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Play to learn
There has been a marked increase in enrolment in early childhood education globally, but access and approaches differ hugely around the world. What impact does quality early years education have on children’s future outcomes and why is ‘playing’ so pivotal in helping them prepare for school?...
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Helping women deal with trauma
Traumatic events can leave an enduring psychological impact. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two psychologists about how they help women heal from trauma. Jane Abatoni Gatete heads the Rwanda Organization of Trauma Counsellors (ARCT- Ruhuka). She has over 25 years of expertise and practical...
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Fan fiction: a writer's playground
Have you ever finished a book or television series and wished you could stay longer in that world? Fan fiction is a thriving art form, with millions of women writing and sharing their tributes to favourite stories, by taking famous characters and placing them in new situations. Datshiane...
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The impact of epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes repeated episodes of sudden, brief changes in the brain's electrical activity causing seizures or convulsions. It's thought 50-million people have the condition, which can't be cured. The right treatment can alleviate symptoms but diagnosis and treatment…
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The challenges for women in palliative care
Confronting the death of a loved one – or the end of our own life – can be frightening and overwhelming. And yet it is something that will happen to all of us. So how can we open up conversations about the way we want to die? Is it possible to avoid pain and suffering? And who are the people who...
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Women saving amphibians from extinction
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to Whitley Fund for Nature winners from India and South Africa who are protecting endangered frogs and salamanders. Dr Barkha Subba is leading the first grassroots protection for the Himalayan Salamander in Darjeeling. The scientific adviser at local NGO, Federation of...
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Catfishing and its consequences
Online romance fraud and 'catfishing' – when someone pretends to be someone they’re not - is a problem across the globe. It causes financial and emotional devastation, yet many people refuse to take it seriously. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from the UK and Sweden who have spent…
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Falling in love with flowers
Datshiane Navanayagam meets the women behind leading nurseries and flower farms in Germany and America. From a vase of cut roses to the perennials that brighten our gardens, these women cultivate beauty from bare earth. Danielle Dall’Armi transformed a derelict lemon and avocado farm in…
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Resolving conflict in relationships
Divorce and separation are often a time of upset and distress. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women in Latvia and the UK whose work as mediators is about trying to find calm and co-operation in conflict. Evija Kļave is a certified mediator and sociologist. She’s also an associate professor teaching...
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Newspaper cartoonists: Drawing on women’s lives
Newspaper cartooning has a long history of using satire and humour to provide social commentary on the issues of the day – but how do female perspectives inform the approach, themes and tone of newspaper cartooning? Andrea Arroyo is from Mexico City. Her work as a dancer took her to New York in…
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The women rethinking rice farming
Rice nourishes 3.5 billion people worldwide with women providing the majority of agricultural labour – especially in poorer countries. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from India and Tanzania about their work improving the resilience of rice to climate change, and about the lives of female…
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How war shapes women's lives
As war flares across the Middle East, and conflicts rage in other parts of the world, it is often said that women and girls are the hardest hit by war. But what does that actually mean in practice? What are the key statistics that tell us how conflicts impact women? And what role are women…
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My image was used without my consent
From “deepfakes” to “stealth filming”, women around the world are having their image stolen and shared online. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women tackling this problem. Uma Subramanian works for an Indian helpline called Meri Trustline, run by RATI Foundation, which offers help for women...
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Supporting women with endometriosis
It's thought that around one in ten women of childbearing age have endometriosis, yet it often takes years of excessively painful periods and struggles to conceive before a diagnosis. And while there's no cure, surgery can help relieve symptoms. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from Hungary…
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How mother tongue moulds us
Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women who research what happens to our thoughts, feelings and behaviours when we speak many languages. To what extent do we have a “mother tongue” – and what happens if we stop using it? Dr Aneta Pavlenko is a Ukrainian-American linguist who looks at the...
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How to share a top job
Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women in Switzerland and the UK about how job sharing can boost a career and bring many benefits to both work and home life. Irenka Krone-Germann is Swiss and has written several books about job-sharing and part-time working. She co-founded the information platform,...
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Pregnancy by numbers
Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women in Pakistan and America who use numbers to help others understand and take control of their pregnancies - by unpacking the data. Emily Oster is a bestselling author and leading expert on pregnancy, championing a data-based approach and unpacking studies and…
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Women-only living
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women in France and Canada about why single-sex living spaces appeal to older women. Pat Dunn is 75 and started a Facebook group for senior women wanting to share a living space, after her husband died six years ago. There she found two housemates with whom she...
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Women making fashion for all
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women whose life changing illnesses led them to set up new businesses after they discovered high street clothes are uncomfortable and difficult to wear when you have restricted mobility or medical needs. Victoria Jenkins is one of the UK's leading adaptive…
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Researching the lives of women in the past
Have you ever wondered if there were a scandal buried in your family history? Datshiane Navanayagam meets two female genealogists from the US and Ireland to discuss the desire many of us have to dig into our heritage. Michele Soulli is an American genealogist who made headlines around the world...
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Telling the story of pioneering women in politics
Datshiane Navanayagam brings together two women from the US and Australia to discuss the art of writing a political biography and whether women in politics are placed under more scrutiny than men. Helene Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times correspondent who fled…
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Taking a fresh look at women’s designer shoes
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women who changed paths to design and manufacture their own shoes in their own countries. A former environmental engineer in India and former interior designer from Egypt explain how they found their passion. Anita Soundar was a chemical engineer before deciding...
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The female game-makers
How do video and board games get from idea to reality? Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women who invent, tweak and perfect the games that so many of us love to play. Sigurlína Ingvarsdóttir from Iceland has produced some of the world’s biggest video game titles, including FIFA and Star Wars:...
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Women changing the art space
Two women with art galleries in Switzerland, London, Nigeria and the US talk about discovering and promoting new artists, building relationships with art collectors and the importance of supporting women in the art world. Maria Varnava is Greek Cypriot and grew up in Lagos. She founded Tiwani...
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The fast and fearless women of skeleton
Skeleton is one of the oldest winter sports in existence. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two Olympic medallists whose careers have seen them sliding down an icy track – face first – at speeds of up to 140 kilometres an hour. Lizzy Yarnold won gold medals for skeleton at successive Winter Olympics. She...
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Female philanthropists
In the season of giving, Datshiane Navanayagam talks to philanthropists from France and Nigeria about using their wealth to help others thrive. Historically philanthropic giving has been dominated by men, but as women’s global wealth grows so does their capacity for donating money to charitable...
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Women living with severe allergies
Having a severe allergy doesn’t just affect physical health - it’s often the social isolation and mental toll of dealing with a somewhat ‘invisible condition’ that people with allergies also have to contend with. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from the US and Spain who’re advocating…
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Women tracking hurricanes
Jamaica to the Philippines, Cuba to Vietnam – countries around the world are dealing with aftermath of heavy storms and flooding; with hundreds dead and billions in damage. The role of meteorologists warning of extreme weather is increasingly valuable. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women tracking...
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What my disability taught me about parenting
What's it like navigating the world as a disabled parent? Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from the US and Italy about the reality of parenting with a disability and about why it’s important to reconsider some of the common misconceptions that exist within society around the kind of life...
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Weavers reviving an ancient technology
Across continents and generations, the art of weaving has connected humans for thousands of years. But it’s dying out. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women from The Netherlands and Turkey about their passion for preserving the traditional craft. Turkish social entrepreneur Damla Saydam founded...
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Women at the forefront of medical research
After the discovery of a new gene therapy for Huntington's, a devastating brain disease, Datshiane Navanayagam talks to one of the women in the UK who worked on it and a biologist from India who's made recent discoveries that could improve treatment for TB, which still kills over a million people...
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Behind the smiles of artistic swimming
Artistic swimmers are known for making perfect synchronicity look effortless. Datshiane Navanaygam talks to athletes from Spain and Slovakia to reveal why the sport is far tougher than it appears. Silvia Solymosyová from Slovakia was the first artistic swimmer to reach 1 million followers on…
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Female breadwinners
Can women earn more than their partners and still be happy at home? How does a higher income affect family dynamics and the division of household chores? Datshiane Navanayagam talks to an author in the UK and a South African academic who've researched the issues. Dr Bianca Parry is a social...
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Life as a top female referee
Datshiane Navanayagam talks to an ice hockey referee from Austria and a football referee from Denmark about their experiences as female officials in men's leagues. Austrian Julia Kainberger played ice hockey professionally for the Salzburg Eagles while also pursuing a career in officiating. She…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Conversation have?
The Conversation currently has 599 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Conversation about?
Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.
How often does The Conversation release new episodes?
The Conversation releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 599 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to The Conversation?
You can listen to The Conversation on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Conversation?
The Conversation is created and hosted by BBC World Service.
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